2015

Attorneys and advocates called the government to account for rushing detained children and mothers through the legal processes designed to protect them from danger; glaring due process violations have led to the deportation of families with valid claims for asylum or other protection under U.S. law.

AILA commends Congress for putting forward an omnibus appropriations bill that largely rejected efforts to force through anti-immigrant or anti-refugee proposals, but is deeply disappointed that changes to the Visa Waiver Program will discriminate against nationals of certain countries.

The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project filed a formal complaint today with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Inspector General detailing the serious obstacles indigenous language speakers are facing in procuring access to justice in family detention centers.

A complaint submitted to the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Inspector General by the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project detailing challenges that indigenous language-speaking mothers and children in family detention centers face in procuring access to justice.

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis urged the U.S. Supreme Court “not only to take the case but to rule in favor of the administration” on the implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programs.

AILA issued a report card on President Obama’s immigration efforts over the past seven years and made recommendations. AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis states, “In his final year, President Obama can save thousands of lives, keep families together, and help our economy thrive.”

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis calls on the government to support the refugee settlement program, saying Syrian refugees “need protection and assistance, not barred and locked doors, or closed borders."

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis reacted to the continued delay by CBP on body-worn cameras, saying “It is beyond belief that, given all that we know about the power of video to shine a light on the actions of law enforcement agents and officers, CBP is still dragging its heels on this.”

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis responded to the disappointing 5th Circuit decision saying, “As this case drags on, wasting more time and government resources, I still hold firm to the faith that this will end justly with the full implementation of expanded DACA and DAPA.”

The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project calls on the government to fully comply with Judge Gee’s ruling concerning the inhumane incarceration of mothers and children fleeing violence and persecution; thus far DHS has not taken the steps necessary to comply with today’s deadline.

The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project offers this fact sheet on the Flores litigation, covering the key points from Judge Gee’s ruling concerning the inhumane incarceration of mothers and children fleeing violence and persecution, and what the next steps are in the case.

A complaint was submitted to the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Inspector General by the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project detailing additional examples of deplorable and inadequate medical care to which mothers and children are subjected.

A complaint was submitted to the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Inspector General by the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project documenting intimidation, misinformation and violations of the right to counsel at the family detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

AILA and its members were disappointed today to learn that, due to a gross government miscalculation, many individuals and families will continue to face lengthy waits before they can submit their applications for permanent residence.

The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project responded to the news that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had awarded a private prison company the grant to establish a new case management alternative to detention initiative for families.

AILA is proud to partner with the NALEO Educational Fund for the ninth annual Citizenship Day on Saturday, September 19, 2015; the event brings together AILA attorneys and other advocates to provide assistance to lawful permanent residents eligible for naturalization.

AILA urges President Obama to go beyond the commitment he made to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees and to extend more meaningful protection to all refugees and asylum seekers whether they are resettled from abroad or have crossed U.S. borders fleeing violence, persecution, and other horrors.

The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project responded to Friday’s release of five families who had been subjected to many months of incarceration despite repeated efforts to advocate for their release pending the adjudication of their claims for protection in the United States.

AILA and the American Immigration Council welcome a decision by U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee in Flores v. Lynch, which ruled that children should generally be released from detention within five days—preferably to a parent, including a parent with whom they were apprehended.

After nearly six years as Executive Director, AILA bids farewell to Crystal Williams. AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis noted, “Her years of dedication, not only to the field of immigration law but to the success and impact of the association, are an example to us all.”

The American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council are outraged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) response to U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee’s ruling on the mass incarceration of children and mothers seeking asylum in the U.S.

A complaint was submitted to the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of Inspector General on behalf of ten detained mothers by the American Immigration Council, AILA, CLINIC, Immigrant Justice Corps, RAICES, and the Women’s Refugee Commission.

AILA is proud to release the seventh edition of AILA's Asylum Primer, the comprehensive, practical guide to U.S. asylum law and procedure that has been completely updated and expanded to address changes since the release of the last edition in 2009.

The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to account for the cascade of due process violations and detrimental practices at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, and at the Karnes County Residential Center in Karnes City, Texas.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council welcomed a ruling in Flores v. Johnson by U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee that should signal the end of the mass incarceration of children and mothers seeking asylum in the U.S.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the American Immigration Council welcome plans announced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the release of some mothers and children detained after seeking refuge at our borders with the following statement.

On July 4, 2015, AILA and AIC learned that, recently, medical personnel at the detention center in Dilley, Texas that holds nearly 2,000 children and their mothers mistakenly gave adult-strength Hepatitis A vaccinations to approximately 250 children.

The psychological harm caused when mothers and children seeking asylum in the U.S. are detained in jail-like facilities is the subject of a complaint filed with CRCL by AILA, the Women’s Refugee Commission, and the American Immigration Council.

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis applauded the government for designating Nepal for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), thanking “DHS for recognizing that the conditions in Nepal remain unsafe after the major earthquake shook the country weeks ago.”

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis welcomed newly announced DHS plans relating to family detention but said, “more is needed…Asylum seeking families should be given due process, not expedited removal. And the end of the road must be the end of family detention entirely.”

AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis responded to a recent statement on family detention from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) saying "In all my 19 years of experience as an immigration attorney, I have never heard a federal agency rewrite history to this extent."

AILA will award Trina Realmuto, of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, with the 2015 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law.

AILA will award Eleanor Pelta of Washington, D.C., with the 2015 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding service, over a period of years, in advancing the mission, development, and value of AILA for its members and the public it serves.

AILA will award Michelle N. Mendez, of Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc, Baltimore, MD, with the 2015 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award for her outstanding contributions in the field of immigration and nationality law.

AILA will award Francis Wilkinson, an editor with Bloomberg View, with the 2015 Media Leadership Award in recognition of the individual whose efforts in the media most accurately depict immigration and immigrants.

AILA will award Deborah Anker and the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRC) with the 2015 Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award for outstanding service in advancing the cause of human rights.

AILA will award Laura Lichter, of Lichter Immigration, Denver, CO, and Stephen Manning, of Immigrant Law Group, PC, Portland, OR, with the Founders Award, which is given from time to time to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy.

AILA will host its 2015 Annual Conference beginning Wednesday June 17 in National Harbor, MD. The conference will bring approximately 3,000 attorneys from around the globe to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.

In this joint press release with NIJC and NIPNLG, AILA’s Executive Director Crystal Williams noted, “that just because the Court says that the government can deny without explanation doesn’t mean that it must. The State Department can still decide to do the right thing."

On June 20, AILA and its partners will offer free immigration law services in Washington, D.C. at AILA’s fifth annual Pro Bono Clinic; dozens of immigration attorneys will be available to answer questions and assess each participant’s situation as it relates to immigration.

AILA President Leslie A. Holman responded to news that some kids and moms are being released from detention, noting that “The tragic reality is that more than 2,000 children and mothers remain detained…Freedom for a few, while the nightmare continues for everyone else detained, is not sufficient.”

AILA President Leslie A. Holman commended 33 senators for their forceful call to end family detention, saying “Nearly three-quarters of the Members of Congress from the President’s own party have now called on the Administration to end this shameful practice. Isn’t it time for him to listen?”

AILA President Leslie A. Holman applauded the 136 House members who joined together calling for an end to family detention saying “Calling out the Administration is not done lightly, but it is vital that the federal government understand that continuing this practice is immoral and inhumane.”

AILA President Leslie A. Holman responded to today’s decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, saying: “It appeared early on that this particular panel of this particular court was unlikely to grant the stay. Thankfully though, this is far from the last word on the matter.”

AILA released the second edition of Immigration Law & the Military, written by Margaret Stock, which covers a multitude of common military-related issues through real case examples and provides information on special resources available to military personnel and their family members.

AILA President Leslie A. Holman responded to the announcement of plans by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for “enhanced oversight for family residential centers” saying the plans do “almost nothing to address the fundamental issue that there is no humane way to detain families.”

AILA announced the release of the 2015 editions of the Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) and the Immigration Regulations (CFR) with AILA President Leslie Holman noting, “I can’t imagine an immigration law office without both of these references.”

AILA Executive Director Crystal Williams commented on the House Judiciary Committee’s scheduled hearing on Birthright Citizenship, noting that the 14th Amendment’s purpose was “to put citizenship above the politics and prejudices of any given era.”

Leslie Holman, AILA President, responded to the news that the H-1B cap for FY2016 was reached and exceeded and a lottery will be held, saying “once again, our country’s outdated and inefficient immigration laws are blocking economic gains and business growth.”

AILA joins CLINIC, the American Immigration Council, and RAICES in a new collective project known as CARA to provide legal services to children and their mothers detained in Karnes City and Dilley, Texas, and to advocate for the end of family detention.

AILA President Leslie A. Holman commented on the report detailing employee complaints about management of the USCIS EB-5 program noting that “While giving voice to resentments and frustrations by some…the report cites no laws or even policies that were violated.”

AILA President Leslie A. Holman welcomed the draft of the long-awaited policy memo on the L-1B visa category and “the Administration’s recognition that a lack of consistency has been an obstacle to this program’s success.”

AILA President Leslie A. Holman welcomed the decision by federal judge James Boasberg who “took a huge step in protecting Central American mothers and children who have made out strong claims for asylum in preliminary hearings with federal asylum officers.”

AILA President Leslie A. Holman responded to the decision by Texas federal judge Andrew Hanen to temporarily halt President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative.

In this press release, AILA recommends Congress reject the “Legal Workforce Act” being considered today by the House Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Subcommittee, calling it an “unworkable bill which would do more harm than good to our nation’s economy.”

AILA President Leslie Holman lauded the introduction of the Immigration Innovation (“I-Squared” Act) saying, “I’m encouraged that this bipartisan group of Senators recognizes what so many economists and business leaders do as well: that welcoming innovative thinkers is key to economic prosperity.”